Originally posted by: Ken90630
I'm done with this thread, as it's pointless to waste time in these silly cyber arguments that accomplish nothing. Clearly we're not going to see eye to eye on this, so let's just agree to disagree. No hard feelings on my part. I'll let you have the last word.
And I shall take you up on that! I am not above such things.
You think Photoshop is "Regular Usage" for many people? Well then, define many people. 25% of computer users? 50%? 75%?
Yes, it is "regular usage" -- which were originally your words, not mine -- for many people. Asking me to define "many people" is idiotic -- I would define "many" as "a lot." I don't have Adobe sales figures at hand, but I'd guess that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people all over the world use Photoshop. If that doesn't qualify as "many" to you, I don't know what to tell you, guy. A percentage of computer users is irrelevant -- "many" is many, regardless of what percentage that constitutes of the entire computer-using population. :roll:[/quote]
So in other worlds "many people" is relative enough so that a smaller number of people who use Photoshop, compared to those that do not, is all right for you to include in your definition of "regular usage", but I can't omit it from mine? Thats a fairly dubious stance to take.
I originally replied to the O.P.'s original post by saying the MacMini would probably feel slow compared to someone using the computer in his sig. Well, the computer in his sig has a 7200-rpm HD. You then stated that the Mini you had with a 5400-rpm drive and that it didn't feel slow in regular usage. Clearly you were defending the MacMini with the 5400-rpm drive and saying that it would not be noticeably slower than a computer with a 7200-rpm hard drive. I challenge the accuracy of that statement.
I don't see a mention of a 7200RPM HD anywhere until you claimed I said a 5400RPM was faster. In fact, I don't even see a 7200RPM HD mentioned in his sig. I stated that the machine he was looking to get didn't feel slow to me....
someone who actually owns one, and compared it to one of my PCs, which is close to the specs listed in the OP's sig. Where there was a speed difference between the two I clearly stated so, that being Call of Duty, and stated that video encoding would follow suit. So, if you care to respond, please tell me where I claimed any of what you stated. You can challenge any statement you want, just make sure the person you challenge said it.
Fine, but that may not be "regular usage" to everyone. It would not be "regular usage" to me or many of my colleagues, former colleagues, classmates in college, graphic arts people, and many home users who use digital cameras and Photoshop. Since the O.P. didn't specify everything he'll be wanting to do with the machine, we're arguing with each other for no reason here because we don't know what "regular usage" will be to him. And when you say it's "not slow doing that," again, "slow" is a subjective term. Obviously, it depends on the person and what apps they're using the computer for. I will stand by my original statement that a stock MacMini will feel comparatively slow to someone with the computer in his sig. If you disagree, that's fine, we can agree to disagree. The world will keep turning.
For the most part I can agree that "regular usage" is fairly vague. Since I was comparing my personal machines I thought that people would surmise that regular usage applied to what I do on my PC, then doing that same thing on the Mini. I did however, state that I had 512MB of RAM, and reiterated that every time I referred to my Mini. I was conscience of the specs. I stated the price in my post including 512MB of RAM. Slow is also subjective, but again, I was comparing my machines, and doing the same thing, one machine was not noticeably faster than the other in the things I compared each other to, especially not to the point where one becomes slow. I think my usage of slow in this context is correct.
I did challenge what you actually wrote
You mostly challenged statements that you concluded I would make.
and I didn't forget that the O.P. wants a Mac. I never said he shouldn't buy one. Heck, I'd like to have a Mac myself. I merely gave him food for thought, pros and cons, in a sincere effort to help him decide. And if you read my originial reply again, you will see that I gave him quite a bit of persuasion ammunition with regards to the advantages Macs enjoy in terms of Web security, not to mention the vastly superior Safari browser. So when you say, "And you forgot the original post. The OP wants a Mac," clearly that is a false statement on your part as I was clearly aware of his desire for a Mac.
You clearly forget what the OP was about when you challenged my phantom statements. In your original post you said it will be slow (apparently you use that word too!) compared to what he's used to, and I, being a person who owns the Mini and a PC similar to the OP's system, said it didn't feel slow to me. You must have forgot about the topic because you questioned "regular usage" patterns and tried to stick Photoshop in my comparison, and 7200RPM hard drives being faster than 5400RPM hard drives. I can understand PS being in your definition of regular usage, but I did not claim that, and OP already has a fast PC and doesn't care about games, so why should Photoshop be any different? It was my impression that the OP didn't want to compare hardware, but software and user experience. Yes, the Mini will be
slower at PS when compared to a machine that costs twice as much. I don't think the OP would be surprised by that.
Of course, I may be wrong here, and this is off topic.
No need to get so defensive here. I like Macs -- most are overpriced IMHO, but I like them otherwise. I'd kill (well, almost) for a dual-processor G5 and Cinema Display. I simply felt that the stock MacMini was a bit underpowered in today's world and that it might seem slow to someone used to the rig in his sig. And if he goes beyond stock specs, the price also goes up. If all he does is e-mail, light Web surfing and basic Office-like apps, the speed may not be a prob for him.
I don't question your sentiment here. I use my fastest PC as basically a dedicated gaming console. When I'm not gaming, all that extra speed and graphics power does not enhance my computing experience, and I think thats where the Mini will find a place with consumers. You can do a lot with the 512MB Mini out of the box, and IN MY OPINION its not slow at doing what its designed to do when compared to a PC that costs close to twice as much, when doing things other than gaming. Of course you don't need a PC that fast to do those things, but I didn't say that. When all software the Mini ships with that comes in to play that gives you excellent bang for you buck, even compared to a faster PC because eventually you will want to do something with your computer, and having a faster PC wont help all that much if you are not productive with the software you have. You could make your own movie and soundtrack, and then author the DVD without any additional software. Write your own programs. Write your papers, you name it. Besides the latest games! There are lots of things you can do without purchasing one piece of software.
Not every computer has to be as fast as the fastest computer available to not be considered slow, or to be considered useful. If I was the OP I would take that message to his/her father.
Or ask your Mom.